Micranthus plantagineus Eckl.

Plants 200-400(-650) mm high, base without collar of fibres. Corm globose, 12-15 mm diam., tunics of dark brown, medium-textured, reticulate fibres drawn into fine points above. Stem simple or with up to 9 short branches, with cormlets in axil of lowermost leaf, sometimes of upper cataphyll, rarely other leaf axils. Leaves (2)3(4), green at flowering, lowermost leaf longest, blades terete or oval in section, hollow, 2.0-3.5 mm diam., smooth when fresh with translucent veins, when dry, veins appearing thickened with homologue of marginal vein pair more prominent, usually reaching to middle of spike to shortly exceeding spike, uppermost 1 or 2 leaves sheathing for most of length, with free part often slightly longer than sheath. Spike (16-)40-to 100-flowered, lower bracts sometimes subtending cormlets; bracts mid-to dark brown, ± 6 mm long but slightly smaller if subtending cormlets, outer with broad translucent margins, apices sharply acute and ultimately curved outward, inner bracts ± as long as outer, with 2 dark keels broadened toward base. Flowers usually dark blue, occasionally pale blue or white, evidently sometimes slightly sweetly scented, perianth tube 6-7 mm long; tepals oblong, with thickened subapical ridge on reverse, (4-)6-7 x ± 1.2 mm. Stamen filaments ± 5 mm long; anthers oblong, 3-4 mm long. Style ± 7 mm long, dividing between lower 1/3 and middle of anthers (rarely ± 1 mm below anthers), branches 1.0-1.8 mm long, divided for 1/3-1/2 their length. Capsules smooth, ± urn-shaped or narrowly ovoid, (3)4-5 x 2-3 mm, with (2)3 or 4 seeds per locule. Seeds ± 4 mm long.